Mercenary Tao
Mercenary Tao is a highly skilled assassin-for-hire, as well as the younger brother of Master Shen. He charges a hefty price for his expert services, as he normally charges ten billion Zeni per kill. Biography Background Mercenary Tao was born in Age 459, just two years before the King Piccolo wars which his brother Shen served in. Even though he was younger, Tao was always one step ahead of his older brother and a rivalry then grew between them. They began to fight over the smallest things and eventually, a simple spilled bowl of rice was enough to break them apart. Though it was never stated, Tao must have gained immortality in some sort of way causing him to live for over two hundred years. At the age of 279, Tao started his career as a mercenary for hire. Tao also trained the young Tien Shinhan during his days with the Crane School, and was a major influence to Tien. Commander Red Saga On May 9th, Age 750, Tao was hired by the Red Ribbon Army to kill Son Goku, who had been defeating all of their operatives and taking away the Dragon Balls they acquired, messing with Commander Red's secret wish of getting taller as well as the Red Ribbon Army's official wish of world domination. When General Blue, one of the Red Ribbon Army's strongest operatives, arrives at the Red Ribbon Army headquarters failing his mission, Commander Red gives him a deal. In order to redeem himself, Blue must defeat Mercenary Tao. Before the match, Tao claims that he will not even use his hands or feet to defeat Blue, only his tongue, to which Blue scoffs at the idea. During the match, Tao easily dodges Blue's flurry of punches, also proving himself to be immune to Blue's telekinesis. Staying true to his word, he kills Blue only using his tongue on one of Blue's Pressure Points on his cranium, thus proving to Commander Red and Staff Officer Black that his assistance is worth a very high price. After looking at his target's photo, Tao is given the option of riding an aircraft to Goku's location, however, Tao instead takes and throws a pillar from the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters and rides it. Tao meets Goku in the Sacred Land of Korin after nearly hitting Goku with the pillar. Goku asks who Tao is, and Tao informs Goku that he has been assigned by the Red Ribbon Army to dispose of Goku. However, Bora, a man who had previously held off the Red Ribbon Army single-handedly and who tried to defend Goku, challenges Tao. When challenged by Bora, whose son had been rescued by Goku, Tao mocks Bora, as he easily overpowers him, by grabbing his spear with only three fingers, and yet, Bora cannot move an inch. Having enough of messing around with Bora, Tao easily murders Bora by launching him into the air and throwing Bora's own spear directly into Bora's heart. Seeing Upa weep over his father's corpse causes Goku to become enraged and attack Tao head on. Goku proves to be more of a challenge than Blue, but with barely any effort, Tao knocks him around a bit, dodging Goku's flurry of attacks easily, and then knocks him out with the Dodon Ray technique, thinking he killed him. Upa, Bora's son, tries to attack Tao with a rock, but Tao just blows it back to Upa, hitting him. Tao ends up only retrieving three of the Dragon Balls which were located in the backpack Goku had, and realizes this when he is calling Commander Red on his progress. The last ball was in Goku's outfit, which saved him from being killed by the Dodon Ray. Since Tao's uniform was ruined by Goku's Kamehameha during the battle, he takes off to a town where he forces a tailor to make a new copy of his uniform for free. During the three days, Tao intimidates the townspeople into obtaining free luxuries such as a hotel room. A sniper in the town tries to assassinate Tao, but fails when Tao manages to deflect the assassin's bullet with his slipper. Three days later, his uniform is finished. When the tailor asks for money, Tao replies that if he gave the tailor money, it would ruin his cold, ruthless reputation; he offers to kill someone for the tailor instead. The horrified tailor says he does not want anyone dead, so Tao kills him instead with a Pressure Point Attack and returns to the land of Korin to retrieve the missing Dragon Ball. When he arrives, Upa throws his small axe at Tao, but Tao dodges his attack and strangles him for information about the location of the Dragon Ball. When Upa refuses to answer, Tao throws him at the tower, where Goku narrowly saves him, to Tao's surprise. He then fights Goku, who had been specially trained by Korin after climbing his tower. During the fight, Goku proved to be far too strong for Tao, as Tao could land no hits on the small warrior. Tao resorts to bringing out his sword, which breaks in a clash with Goku's Power Pole. After Tao decides Goku was too powerful, he himself climbs Korin Tower to retrieve the Sacred Water that had made Goku so powerful. He easily ascends the tower and meets Korin. Korin knows that Tao is a wicked assassin, so he tricks Tao and gives him the useless Sacred Water. After that, Korin uses a trick to make Tao believe he has improved so he will leave. He sends Tao back down the tower on the Dark Nimbus to prevent him from gaining any strength from the tower climb. Tao challenges Goku again when the Nimbus crashes into the ground and only manages to do slightly better, not enough to defeat Goku. Seeing that he was still no match for Goku, Tao pretends to surrender, tricking Goku for a split second. While Goku is asking Upa if he thinks they should let him go, Tao throws a grenade at Goku whose back is still turned. Tao then jumps high into the air to avoid the explosion, Goku kicks the grenade back at him, which detonates and seemingly kills the assassin. Though Goku presumed Tao dead, Tao later used all of the money he gained from his previous jobs to be rebuilt as a cyborg. Tien Shinhan Saga During the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, Tao's brother Master Shen learns of Tao's encounter with Goku. Shen instructs his student Tien to kill Goku in the arena to avenge his brother's presumed death, but, thanks to Master Roshi, Tien comes to his senses and ceases his affiliation with the Crane School, with Chiaotzu following him. Piccolo Junior Saga With the help of his older brother Shen and thanks to the money he gained from his career as an assassin, Tao is rebuilt as a cyborg. He competes in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, brutally defeating Chiaotzu in the preliminary rounds. Tao explains that he came to the tournament in order to get revenge on both Tien Shinhan for betraying him, and on Goku for ruining his appearance and legacy when he defeated him. Tao fights Tien next. Tien and Tao both have a long stare down on the tournament arena. Tao notices that Tien's fighting pose is near perfection as he cannot find a vulnerable spot on his entire body. Then, Tao takes a gamble and charges at Tien, but Tien manages to easily dodge Tao's attempt and attack him straight afterwards, making Tao fall to the ground flat on his face, not even realizing what just happened. After Tien shows his new powers (which far exceed Tao's), Tao realizes that Tien is stronger than him and gives him credit. Tien begs for Tao to leave the tournament as he still respects Tao for teaching him how to fight to begin with, and does not want his former master to suffer extreme embarrassment. However, Tao still has the utmost confidence that he will defeat and kill Tien, even if it means using more than just his strength. Seeing that he cannot beat Tien fairly, Tao violates the rules of the tournament by using a hidden knife to cut Tien's chest, scarring him for life. Slashed by this sneak attack, Tien claims that Tao has lost his honor and pride of a warrior. Despite being disqualified, Tao continues to fight, admitting that he does not really care if he actually wins the match and that he only participated so he could kill Tien and Goku. After Tien breaks Tao's blade, Tao uses the Super Dodon Ray, claiming Tien will stand no chance of survival, only for Tien to nullify it with a Kiai. Tien then knocks Tao out swiftly with one punch, then carrying the unconscious Tao to his older brother Master Shen, who carries him away in disgrace. Cell Games Saga In Age 767, Tao works as a personal bodyguard for Mr. Borbonne, a short man who runs a shelter near Chazke Village which can supposedly protect people from Cell. Everything is going exactly according to plan until Son Gohan appears in the village, disrupting the scheme Mr. Borbonne had going. When Borbonne's bodyguards surround Gohan, Mr. Lao, an old man from the village, arrives dressed in a Chinese-styled dogu martial arts outfit. After dispatching the black-suited bodyguards, Borbonne called for Tao to come out and take care of the old man. After a series of exchanged blows, Tao has Lao on the ground. Just when Tao prepares to finish off Lao with his Super Dodon Ray, Gohan stepped in the way at the last second, protecting Mr. Lao and himself from the Super Dodon Ray. At this moment Tao notices that Gohan's facial features are akin to that of Goku. Struck with fear as he remembers his previous confrontations with Goku, Tao asks his name and breathes a sigh of relief in hearing his name was Go-HAN instead of Go-KU. However, his fear quickly returns as he learns that Gohan is Goku's son and he flies off on a pine tree, effectively resigning from his position as a bodyguard. When Borbonne yelled that Tao can't quit on him, Tao yelled back that not only can he do that, but he just did as he disappeared in the sky. Later, he works as a henchman for Vodka, a rich gangster who has hired him to gather the Dragon Balls so he may wish for becoming emperor of the world after Cell leaves. Goku shows up at Vodka's fortress to gather the two that Tao has collected, Tao confronts him but doesn't recognize him in his Super Saiyan form however, after the latter recognizes him and introduces himself as Goku. Tao examines him closely and realizes it is indeed the boy who beat him years ago now grown up and Goku tells him that its good to see even after their rocky past. Tao is left silently bemoaning his misfortune. Tao gets over his shock after Goku expresses disappointment at himself for having nothing to offer Tao in return. The assassin then poses a challenge to Goku: if Goku can disassemble three complex puzzle rings by dawn the following day, then he will be awarded the Dragon Balls. If he cannot, however, Goku must surrender the ones he has with him. Tao then offers to take Goku's jacket (which contains Goku's gathered Dragon Balls) while Goku works on the puzzles, and while Goku is distracted with the puzzle rings, Tao steals Goku's Dragon Balls and drives far away throughout the night with the gangsters. After Goku solves the puzzle rings, he simply uses Instant Transmission to find Tao and the gangsters. The naive Goku is unaware there was any ill-will on the part of Tao, and is given the Dragon Balls without any resistance. Tao could only ask if he is still getting paid as he and Vodka could only stare in shock about what happened. Forms Human Tao's standard Human form before he was greatly injured by Goku on May 12th, Age 750. Cyborg The result of Tao being greatly injured, and then using a great amount of his money in order to be converted into a more powerful cyborg. Cyborg Tao possess extra abilities and armaments along with his greater power, he has a blade in one arm, scanning capabilities in his robotic eyes, and can also fire the Super Dodon Ray from a cannon in his arm.